Exophytic Lesions of the Oral Mucosa: The Importance of Differential Diagnosis
Several lesions of the oral mucosa present similar clinical features, making clinical diagnosis difficult. In most cases, diagnosis is defined by histopathological features. Misdiagnosis implies in an inadequate choice of the therapeutic modality to be instituted and consequently determining an unfavourable prognosis. Sometimes, this ill-defined triad - diagnosis, treatment and prognosis - may even influence patient survival. The purpose of this article is to report two cases of exophytic lesions of the oral mucosa - fibroma and mucocele - which presented clinically similar characteristics. The diagnosis was elucidated by histopathological examination. We discuss the clinical and histopathological features, incidence and frequency, etiopathogenesis, differential diagnosis, treatment modalities and prognosis of both lesions. We emphasize the importance of submitting the removed lesions to anatomopathological examination, avoiding the underestimation of pathological processes and diagnostic errors.
Keywords: fibroma; mucocele; oral cavity; oral diagnosis; oral pathology.
Citation: Pereira GSL, Costa DH, Cordeschi T, Shitsuka C, Pedron IG. “Exophytic Lesions of the Oral Mucosa: The Importance of Differential Diagnosis”. SVOA Dentistry 3:1 (2022) Pages 08-12.
